diff --git a/server/package.json b/server/package.json
index d707641af..1737bca83 100644
--- a/server/package.json
+++ b/server/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "ontime",
-  "version": "1.0.0",
+  "version": "1.0.1",
   "author": "Carlos Valente",
   "description": "Time keeping for live events",
   "repository": "https://github.com/cpvalente/ontime",
diff --git a/server/src/app.js b/server/src/app.js
index 83348796c..c25de8733 100644
--- a/server/src/app.js
+++ b/server/src/app.js
@@ -4,53 +4,14 @@ import 'dotenv/config';
 // import config
 import { config } from './config/config.js';
 
+// import dependencies
+import { dirname, join, resolve } from 'path';
 // init database
-import { Low, JSONFile } from 'lowdb';
-
-import path from 'path';
-import { fileURLToPath } from 'url';
-
-const __filename = fileURLToPath(import.meta.url);
-const __dirname = path.dirname(__filename);
-
-const env = process.env.NODE_ENV || 'prod';
-
-const file = path.join(__dirname, 'data/', config.database.filename);
-const adapter = new JSONFile(file);
-export const db = new Low(adapter);
-
-console.log(`Starting ontime version ${process.env.npm_package_version}`)
-
+import loadDb from './modules/loadDb.js';
 // dependencies
 import express from 'express';
 import http from 'http';
 import cors from 'cors';
-import { dbModelv1 as dbModel } from './models/dataModel.js';
-import { parseJson_v1 as parseJson } from './utils/parser.js';
-import { validateFile } from './utils/parserUtils.js';
-
-// validate JSON before attempting read
-let isValid = validateFile(file);
-
-if (isValid) {
-  // Read data from JSON file, this will set db.data content
-  await db.read();
-}
-
-// If file.json doesn't exist, db.data will be null
-// Set default data
-// db.data ||= { events: [] }; NODE v15 - v16
-if (db.data == null || !isValid) {
-  db.data = dbModel;
-  await db.write();
-}
-
-// get data
-// there is also the case of the db being corrupt
-// try to parse the data, make sure that all fields exist (enforce)
-export const data = await parseJson(db.data, true);
-db.data = data;
-await db.write();
 
 // Import Routes
 import { router as eventsRouter } from './routes/eventsRouter.js';
@@ -60,6 +21,18 @@ import { router as playbackRouter } from './routes/playbackRouter.js';
 
 // Global Objects
 import { EventTimer } from './classes/EventTimer.js';
+// Start OSC server
+import { initiateOSC, shutdownOSCServer } from './controllers/OscController.js';
+import { fileURLToPath } from 'url';
+
+// get environment
+const env = process.env.NODE_ENV || 'prod';
+const __filename = fileURLToPath(import.meta.url);
+const __dirname = dirname(__filename);
+
+export const { db, data } = await loadDb(__dirname);
+
+console.log(`Starting ontime version ${process.env.npm_package_version}`);
 
 // Create express APP
 const app = express();
@@ -83,21 +56,11 @@ app.use('/ontime', ontimeRouter);
 app.use('/playback', playbackRouter);
 
 // serve react
-app.use(
-  express.static(
-    path.join(__dirname, env === 'prod' ? '../' : '../../', 'client/build'),
-  ),
-);
+app.use(express.static(join(__dirname, env === 'prod' ? '../' : '../../', 'client/build')));
 
 app.get('*', (req, res) => {
   res.sendFile(
-    path.resolve(
-      __dirname,
-      env === 'prod' ? '../' : '../../',
-      'client',
-      'build',
-      'index.html',
-    ),
+    resolve(__dirname, env === 'prod' ? '../' : '../../', 'client', 'build', 'index.html')
   );
 });
 
@@ -124,11 +87,7 @@ const oscInEnabled = osc?.enabled !== undefined ? osc.enabled : config.osc.input
 
 const serverPort = data.settings.serverPort || config.server.port;
 
-// Start OSC server
-import { initiateOSC, shutdownOSCServer } from './controllers/OscController.js';
-
 export const startOSCServer = async (overrideConfig = null) => {
-
   if (!oscInEnabled) {
     global.timer.info('RX', 'OSC Input Disabled');
     return;
diff --git a/server/src/modules/loadDb.js b/server/src/modules/loadDb.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..77c688219
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/src/modules/loadDb.js
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+import { JSONFile, Low } from 'lowdb';
+import { join } from 'path';
+import { copyFileSync, existsSync } from 'fs';
+import { ensureDirectory, getAppDataPath } from '../utils/fileManagement.js';
+import { config } from '../config/config.js';
+import { validateFile } from '../utils/parserUtils.js';
+import { dbModelv1 as dbModel } from '../models/dataModel.js';
+import { parseJson_v1 as parseJson } from '../utils/parser.js';
+
+/**
+ * @description ensures directories exist and picks available db path
+ * @param runningDirectory
+ * @return {string}
+ */
+const checkDirectories = (runningDirectory) => {
+  const appPath = getAppDataPath();
+  const dbDirectory = join(appPath, 'data');
+  const dbInDisk = join(dbDirectory, config.database.filename);
+  const startupDb = join(runningDirectory, 'data', config.database.filename);
+  ensureDirectory(dbDirectory);
+
+  // if dbInDisk doesnt exist we want to use startup db
+  if (!existsSync(dbInDisk)) {
+    try {
+      copyFileSync(startupDb, dbInDisk);
+    } catch (error) {
+      console.log(error);
+    }
+  }
+
+  return dbInDisk;
+};
+
+/**
+ * @description parses a json file to the adapter
+ * @param fileToRead
+ * @param adapterToUse
+ * @return {Promise<number|*>}
+ */
+const parseDb = async (fileToRead, adapterToUse) => {
+  if (validateFile(fileToRead)) {
+    await adapterToUse.read();
+  } else {
+    adapterToUse.data = dbModel;
+  }
+
+  return parseJson(adapterToUse.data, true);
+};
+
+/**
+ * @description Modules loads ontime db
+ * @param runningDirectory
+ * @return {Promise<{data: (number|*), db: Low<unknown>}>}
+ */
+export default async function loadDb(runningDirectory) {
+  const dbInDisk = checkDirectories(runningDirectory);
+
+  const adapter = new JSONFile(dbInDisk);
+  const db = new Low(adapter);
+
+  const data = await parseDb(dbInDisk, db);
+
+  db.data = data;
+  await db.write();
+
+  return { db, data };
+}
diff --git a/server/src/package.json b/server/src/package.json
index dc4f800dd..4f29f67e7 100644
--- a/server/src/package.json
+++ b/server/src/package.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "name": "ontime-server",
   "type": "module",
-  "version": "1.0.0",
+  "version": "1.1.0",
   "dependencies": {
     "body-parser": "^1.20.0",
     "dotenv": "^16.0.0",
diff --git a/server/src/utils/fileManagement.js b/server/src/utils/fileManagement.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ea6b8104f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/src/utils/fileManagement.js
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+import { existsSync, mkdirSync } from 'fs';
+import path from 'path';
+
+/**
+ * @description Creates a directory if it doesnt exist
+ * @param directory
+ */
+export function ensureDirectory(directory) {
+  if (!existsSync(directory)) {
+    try {
+      mkdirSync(directory, { recursive: true });
+    } catch (err) {
+      throw new Error(`Could not create directory: ${err}`);
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * @description Whether a file exists
+ * @param directory
+ * @return {boolean}
+ */
+export function doesFileExist(directory) {
+  return existsSync(directory);
+}
+
+/**
+ * @description Returns public path depending on OS
+ * @return {string|*}
+ */
+export function getAppDataPath() {
+  switch (process.platform) {
+    case 'darwin': {
+      return path.join(process.env.HOME, 'Library', 'Application Support', 'Ontime');
+    }
+    case 'win32': {
+      return path.join(process.env.APPDATA, 'Ontime');
+    }
+    case 'linux': {
+      return path.join(process.env.HOME, '.Ontime');
+    }
+    default: {
+      throw new Error('Could not resolve public folder for platform');
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/server/src/utils/upload.js b/server/src/utils/upload.js
index 4c1e23c65..25119cdea 100644
--- a/server/src/utils/upload.js
+++ b/server/src/utils/upload.js
@@ -1,28 +1,7 @@
 import multer from 'multer';
-import { existsSync, mkdirSync } from 'fs';
 import * as path from 'path';
 import { EXCEL_MIME, JSON_MIME } from './parser.js';
-
-/**
- * @description Returns public path depending on os
- * @return {string|*}
- */
-function getAppDataPath() {
-  switch (process.platform) {
-    case 'darwin': {
-      return path.join(process.env.HOME, 'Library', 'Application Support', 'Ontime');
-    }
-    case 'win32': {
-      return path.join(process.env.APPDATA, 'Ontime');
-    }
-    case 'linux': {
-      return path.join(process.env.HOME, '.Ontime');
-    }
-    default: {
-      return '';
-    }
-  }
-}
+import { ensureDirectory, getAppDataPath } from './fileManagement.js';
 
 // Define multer storage object
 const storage = multer.diskStorage({
@@ -36,13 +15,7 @@ const storage = multer.diskStorage({
     const newDestination = path.join(appDataPath, 'uploads');
 
     // Create directory if not exist
-    if (!existsSync(newDestination)) {
-      try {
-        mkdirSync(newDestination);
-      } catch (err) {
-        throw new Error('Could not create directory');
-      }
-    }
+    ensureDirectory(newDestination);
     cb(null, newDestination);
   },
   filename: function (req, file, cb) {